Consumer Reports: What you need to know about prepaid cards

April 13, 2014 12:00 AM

By the editors of Consumer Reports

Prepaid cards are no longer just for people who don’t have bank accounts. They’re the fastest-growing payment method in the U.S., and they’re attracting those who want to budget their spending. And there is some positive news for consumers: Fees have declined, and many prepaid cards offer more features.

Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, has tracked the prepaid card market for years, and previous analyses found that checking accounts (which prepaid cards aim to replace) provided guaranteed protection, at a lower cost, than most cards. But this year’s report on 26 cards found that some are now more competitive with checking accounts.

Prepaid cards are often given to teenagers and the college-bound because parents can reload them from afar and oversee spending. Big banks such as Chase and U.S. Bank have recently joined the ranks of smaller companies to roll out their own cards. In 2012, about $77 billion was loaded onto prepaid cards in the U.S., according to the Mercator Advisory Group.

Prepaid cards often look like debit cards, with American Express, MasterCard or Visa logos. They can be used to withdraw cash from an ATM, pay bills or make purchases online and in stores. Unlike debit cards, they’re not linked to traditional bank accounts. But some cards are still quite expensive, and not all of them offer the conveniences that consumers might expect.

One big knock against the cards are the fees for activation, monthly maintenance, reloading and ATM use. The monthly prepaid Visa RushCard option, for example, has a one-time activation fee of $3.95 or $9.95, depending on the card design, and a monthly fee of $9.95. But it can get worse. For example, the NetSpend Prepaid Visa Pay-As-You-Go card carries a $1 or $2 “swipe” fee every time it’s used to make a purchase. That can add up. The top cards in our survey do not charge purchase fees.

Two-thirds of the cards in our survey allow the use of ATMs free or for a reduced fee. Text and email alerts give account information. When considering a card, check to make sure your funds will be FDIC-insured.

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